


Sing me a song of the Moon

by fuckyeahzelink



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Calamity Ganon, Pre-Calamity (Legend of Zelda), Protective Link, but that’s just her being she, canon only when i feel like it, link becomes basically a therapy dog, she also talks very elaborately for a child, theyre baby your honor, they’re not doing too hot but it’s ok they will be some day, this is a very slow burn i am so sorry, zelda is a little scientist
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-30
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:27:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25585162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fuckyeahzelink/pseuds/fuckyeahzelink
Summary: “Would you love me if I had a different form? If I no longer spoke your tongue?”“I’ve loved you countless times over thousands of lives. No matter what you look like or how you speak, I will love you both now and for thousands of lives more.”An elaboration of the story told through diary entries and cutscenes, but reimagined if Link were a werewolf!
Relationships: Link/Zelda (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 32





	1. tell me a serious story tonight

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Blood of the Wild](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19746847) by [just_a_simple_pigeon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/just_a_simple_pigeon/pseuds/just_a_simple_pigeon). 



> This is more self indulgent than anything i’ve ever written. The explanation of why and how werewolves exist is a slightly altered version of what was given in the story I cited as inspo :)

“10,000 years ago was when Calamity Ganon first reared his ugly head. The beast engulfed our kingdom in his malice, giving life to monsters long dead and even greater strength to their living descendants. But luckily, the people were not unprotected. In addition to the Hero and Princess chosen by the goddesses themselves, the generations of Sheikah warriors leading up to Ganon’s prophesied return had begun building a legion of safeguards—large and small autonomous machines, with the ability to defend our citizens as well as those among the many other races of the lands. The greatest of them all were the 4 behemoths known as the Divine Beasts. When Calamity Ganon emerged, the kingdom was ready. He was given little chance to move beyond the confinements of the great plateau and was defeated and sealed away for another 10,000 years. But not before he gave the land something to remember him by. The battle, though brief, had left many hylians riddled with fresh wounds. Ganon was cunning, and with the last of his malice that infected the air, he tainted the blood of the injured people. They became what we know today as… werewolves.” 

The story ended with the Queen of Hyrule pitching her voice lower, turning her typically musical tone to one much darker. Princess Zelda gasped and burrowed deeper into the lap of her father, the King. 

He frowned and shook his head at his wife, opening his mouth to admonish her for spooking the girl— but before he could say anything, the small yet indignant voice of his daughter piped up, “...Mama, that was quite frightening. I don’t know if i’ll be able to get to sleep!” 

The king chuckled at the remark, certain he would never cease to be amused by the way his 4 year old spoke with such elegance. “Sweetheart,” he chided lightly, “remember that you were the one who asked your mother for a serious story this time.” 

Zelda shuffled around so she could peer up at him past his beard, meadow green eyes narrowed in defiance as she exclaimed, “But how will I rest knowing there are werewolves among us papa! Surely you worry as well— what if they attack? What if they’re working with Ganon and just _pretending_ to be normal hylians?” The young princess then slapped both hands to her cheeks in a comical looking way, “What if _you’re_ a werewolf and don’t know it! What if _I_ am a werewolf and don’t know it!”

The queen reached over to smooth a hand over her daughter’s short golden locks, laughing a bit as she soothed, “That isn’t the case, my love. All werewolves know of their status, and none seek to harm Hyrule or its inhabitants in any conscious way.” With a smile, she murmured, “now if you settle down, I can finish the story.” 

That caused the little girl to squeak and scramble off her father’s lap, rolling off and under the plush comforter of her bed in an intentionally exaggerated display of eagerness. King Rhoam moved to kiss the princess on the crown of her small head before making his way out of the room with a soft, “Sleep well, Zelda. Don’t you talk your mother into another story after this one.” She nodded quickly, following him with her green eyes filled with unmasked sincerity. “Yes papa! I swear on the three golden goddesses!” she affirmed, as serious as if she were swearing on her own life. With that, the large man nodded and pulled the door closed, though his quiet chuckle could still be heard echoing against the walls of the empty hall. 

The queen moved from her chair at the foot of Zelda’s bed to a seat on it’s edge, right beside where the small child waited eagerly under the plush sheets. Stroking her daughters hair once more, she sighed and continued the story, “Although calamity ganon had tried to curse hylia’s beloved subjects, she remained where she had always been— two steps ahead. Despite the moon and it’s ceaseless cycles now damning those infected by the malice to forever shift from man to beast at the whim of powers beyond their control, she made the source of their torment become the answer to their salvation.” She pulled her hand out of Zelda’s now messy tresses and reached out to draw back the curtains of the window that stood on the wall across from her. “In her endless benevolence, the goddess blessed the light of the moon to be what gave the werewolves the ability to retain their humanity. Rather than becoming rage-filled monsters, they simply take on a canine form until the moon calls their body back to its original shape.” 

Zelda listened with wide eyed wonder, and asked, “So they just become wolves that understand us?” Her mother nodded, “Yes, but they cannot speak. Someday you will meet one, i’m sure of it— but you will not need to fear them. Wolves are noble and loyal creatures, whether they carry the consciousness of a man or nothing more than what nature has given them.” 

“Can I be a werewolf?” Asked the princess, a hint of hopeful optimism lacing the words. The queen shook her head and mimicked the actions of her husband before he left, giving Zelda a kiss to her forehead—as well as one to her nose— before rising, “I'm afraid not, sweetheart. If it’s truly a subject that interests you, I'll inform Purah to give you extra materials to study if your father permits it.” Zelda inhaled sharply, a grin splitting her face in two as her mother gracefully exited the room. “Good night mama! Thank you!” 

With the sliver of warm light seeping in from the castle's halls disappearing after a click of her bedroom door latched it into place, the only thing fending off total darkness was the light of the moon that filtered through the princesses open window. Her sheer white curtains hung limp in the stagnant air, and Zelda focused on the size of the celestial body that hung in the sky. It was little more than half, a small bit of roundness on its inner wall rather than the flatness that accompanied the sides of a sphere cut straight in half. She absently wondered if this specific stage of the moon had a name as she let the slow drifting clouds and twinkle of the stars create a dynamic backdrop for her to focus on the pale glowing of the celestial body, and for the first of many nights, she fell asleep thinking of werewolves. 

—————————

Link watched as his father tugged off his uniform, the royal guard cap and coat were hung up on the hooks embedded in the stone walls of the chamber. His brown hair was riddled with grey streaks that betrayed a life of chronic stress, as the man was only in his mid 30s and therefore far too young for the color to manifest naturally. He frowned and ran his hand through the sweat styled locks, ruffling it a few times before turning his gaze onto the small form of his son that sat still on the floor. 

“Did you stay inside?” He asked Link, his face still the practiced mask of indifference required by the castle guard. 

Link nodded and watched as the man mimicked his action before ducking out of the room once more— he hadn’t left the room since last night, when his father had unceremoniously thrown a blanket over his sleeping form before hauling him out into a moonlit clearing behind the walls of castletown. He remembered it all quite vividly.  
When the rushed movement ceased and the fabric was pulled away, he looked at his father with a questioning gaze. The moon then hit its peak, and every nerve of his body began to buzz with a heat that seemed to run through the very blood in his veins. He gasped and fell to his hands and knees, gripping the blades of grass like a lifeline. Link felt as though millions of invisible hands were pulling on him from every direction, and the last thing he saw before blacking out was his distorted stubby hand reaching out towards the unwavering silhouette of his father watching him from a few feet away. 

He had woken up back in their shared room, feeling like a stranger in his own body. The world around him was dull, and his muscles felt tight and warm in a way he wasn’t used to. When he tried to sit up and look around, he felt an unfamiliar resistance that prevented him from moving in such a way. He lifted his head— that was possible, at least— and saw as his father sat hunched over at his desk against the far wall, scribbling something into the journal he kept. As if the man had eyes on the back of his head, he straightened up and turned around to meet Link’s gaze. 

“Happy birthday,” he murmured before lifting his royal guard shield so the smooth metal inside was outwards and facing his son. What Link saw in the reflection wasn’t the familiar boy who always looked back at him from every puddle, mirror, and blade. What looked back and him was a small animal— a fluffy looking wolf cub with bright blue eyes that glistened in a way that betrayed his sentience. He almost didn’t believe it, but as he slowly became aware of his body, he knew it was true. 

Link closed his left eye. The wolf cub closed his right eye. 

Link flicked his ears back. The cub did the same. 

He looked up past the shield and at his father, desperately searching for answers. The man sighed and set the makeshift mirror back down against the wall, intentionally turning it to hide the reflective side. He walked over to sit on the edge of the bed next to Link. 

“I’m guessing you’re looking for an explanation,” he offered, and the wolf cub nodded. The royal guard took a deep breath and began speaking once again, “I’m sure you’ve guessed it by now, given the stores and everything, but you’re a werewolf— well. Half a werewolf— Your mother was the wolf. She shifted every full moon, and had since the midnight of her 6th birthday. Everyone in her family had. They were all born on a night of the full moon, and would continue to do so as generations went on… but you were an outlier. Your mother didn’t know how a halfling would differ, but on the night of the half moon she knew it wouldn’t be a safe birth for her. You came early, you see. She didn’t know and wasn’t ready. I wasn’t there with her,” his father hissed in a self loathing manner. 

“When you were born, her father was with her and her mate. Her father was the alpha of their pack, and a horrified one at that. Thinking the baby was underdeveloped, his daughter explained shamefully that she fell in love with a hylian man,” he gestured to himself with a bitter expression, “and instead of the pure blooded child she was believed to carry, she bore a son with muddled blood. It was unprecedented. Werewolves had always lived and bred and died among themselves— it was sort of their way to contain ganon’s curse and be sure it stayed to as little of the population as possible. There haven’t been any documented cases of half breeds like you, and I wish every day she were here with us as a guide. But even if she were, it’s not like you’re exactly the normal werewolf cub.” 

He looked at his son, regret flooding his features as he looked to his left paw where a dark speckled triforce contrasted with the lighter fur that covered his legs like socks. “There’s gotta some serious cosmic irony in the fact the goddesses chose you to be this generation’s hero.” 

And that was that. 

They had gone to bed and the next day he had been instructed not to leave under any circumstances. The guard was not aware there were any werewolves in their midst, and more than likely would not take kindly to the revelation. Although there was a significant sized population of the shifters, they were seen as untrustworthy— unpredictable monsters with a curse written into their very beings. 

Link had spent the day pacing the quarters, hopping up and off the bed and moving every way he could just to get a feel for his new quadruped build. He was a good boy, the kind to follow any and all orders without fail. This was good for a child training to be a knight, and the prideful look he saw that his father wore whenever one of his peers complimented the obedience of his progeny only further encouraged the behavior. 

He found that his senses were all heightened, save for his sight, which had remained about the same as before his shift. His new canine ears could pick up the conversations of guards down the hall and even in their own rooms, and though his scent was predominantly filled with his and his father’s, he could detect the faint scents of others as well as distant food being hauled around outside his temporary holding cell.

His father had come in a few times, including the most recent, asking the same questions over and over again. It stung, being treated like a liability. Like he couldn’t be trusted. 

Growing bored of pacing and listening and smelling, he hopped back up onto the bed with far more grace than at the start of the day, and let his front paws slip forward in a way that stretched his whole back. Letting out a small yawn, Link then lowered his haunches onto the bed as well. He didn’t know when or for how long he had fallen asleep, but he woke to the sound of a voice smooth like honey speaking with a chipper young feminine one. For reasons beyond him, he decided to eavesdrop on what they were saying— it wasn’t hard, all he had to do was angle his ears towards the barred window, as it was dark outside and the bustling mass of voices that previously congested the halls of the guards chamber had all but ceased. 

“...I do believe it is important she continues to inform herself on the matter, as it pertains to her future in more ways than one. It’ll be beneficial to everyone if you are able to spare the time to educate her,” said the melodic voice, her calm and even tones betrayed her status as an incredibly high class woman. 

“Of course, your majesty! You know how much I love spending time with the princess,” the bubbly one replied, and her use of the title gave link reason to believe she was speaking to none other than the queen herself. He did recall hearing the princess’s quarters were adjacent to those of the guards, so maybe she was coming from there? 

“Thank you Purah,” the queen told the bright sounding girl, “It really is all my fault, spurring on her budding fascination.” 

“It really is no trouble, your majesty,” Purah assured an apologetic sounding queen. She followed it thoughtfully with, “though we may run into a few complications in terms of live subjects for her to study— I can’t imagine any shifted werewolf would be too keen for a 4 year old princess prodding at them for hours on end…” 

Link stiffened, because the princess wanted to _study werewolves?_ He was lucky nobody knew of him. Lucky he was nothing more than the hero chosen by the goddess of courage. Lucky that his father treated him like a liability, hiding him away and taking every precaution to keep his secret… 

“I’m not too worried about that. There are bound to be one or two in our midst,” the queen placated, startling Link out of his train of thought and straight back into a mild panic. His tail began thumping against the bed nervously, and the pup couldn’t stop it without feeling like he would burst from all the pent up energy. 

It was then his treacherous father returned, the sound of the sore clicking shut making Link yelp in surprise and whip around to see his father holding a couple trays full of dinner. The man looked back at him with wide eyes and then shook his head, “you’re supposed to have better senses, not be easier to spook.” 

Link flattened his ears and looked away, embarrassed at his outburst. His father chuckled a bit— the sound more of a shaky exhale than what most would consider a laugh— but the cub would take what he could get. “Here’s dinner,” he offered, placing a plate full of raw fish and undercooked steak. “Your mother always preferred unprepped meals as a wolf.” 

Hopping down from the bed, Link accepted the food gratefully— he hadn’t eaten anything that morning as the transformation seemed to rid him of any real appetite— and his tail began to wag as he scarfed down the hylian bass unceremoniously. His previous anxiety all but forgotten, he then moved to the nearly rare prime meat steak, and his father remarked, “got quite a few odd looks from the boys for that request.” 

Link finished up the rest of his meal and licked his chops, looking up at his father apologetically. The meat was quite good, though. The man simply shook his head and told him, “I think the maids are going to do a quick cleaning of all the barracks tomorrow, but i’m not sure where else to hide you… any ideas?” This was a surprise to the small cub, as he hadn’t expected a chance to run free until at the very least a few weeks had passed. He could hide, yes, or he could go into the forest! The ball of fluff and energy wagged his tail enthusiastically and bounded up the bed and to the window, pushing himself up onto his haunches and using his front paws as support. Link then turned and faced his father, tongue lolled out in a sort of smile. 

Taking the hint, the man asked, “so if I pry open those bars you’ll be able to slip out? Are you sure you won’t be spotted?” Link’s tongue bounced as he nodded enthusiastically, and his rear shook with the force of his wagging tail. His father smiled a bit at the sight and concluded with a single clap,”well. That settles it then. Tomorrow morning I’ll see what I can do to those bars, and you’ll be a free wolf for a day or so. I’ll need to get you up earlier than normal so we can get to it without the chance of many interruptions. Sounds good?” 

Link barked in confirmation before his father put a finger to his own lips, frantically _shhhh-ing_ the pup. He then changed into his sleep clothes and put out all the lights, climbing over his canine son and into bed. Link wound himself into a tight ball at the foot of the bed and it was only then, on the brink of sleep, he remembered the conversation between the queen of hyrule and the lady named Purah. He shut his eyes tight and tried to force his mind to go blank, letting sleep claim him.


	2. words that describe the color blue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I hereby declare that the willful deceit of a child, more specifically the princess Zelda, should be considered a crime from now on.”  
> —Princess Zelda

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love little Zelda talking like an adult but with that childlike sense of cluelessness and immaturity that’s masked with a complicated vocabulary. She’s like Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes but less cynical and more analytical.

The queen is pregnant again. 

She has been for months, and didn’t tell _anyone!_ Or at least, anyone that matters. 

She told her husband, her closest maids, both Impa AND Purah, and goddesses know who else! But she didn’t tell Zelda… maybe Zelda was the one who didn’t matter, and everyone else knows of her mother’s pregnancy but her. She had only found out when she had tried sitting on the queen's lap, but noticed it to be difficult as her mother was growing a bit large in the abdomen. She had commented on it— admittedly a rather tactless move— and was hesitantly told the truth. The only problem is she was told the truth nearly half a year too late! It was far too long for her not to consider the whole thing a lie. 

The young princess continued this line of reasoning with herself, absently muttering through it all. She stormed off right as her mother tried to apologize— she simply would not hear it! It was all just an afterthought, an attempt to placate Zelda. Nothing more. 

She wove through narrow halls and back alleys with expert precision out of muscle memory alone, and within the throes of her preoccupied mind she failed to notice the blatant change of scenery as she made her way into the rather dense forest that surrounded the back walls of castletown. A quick flash of gold and white rushing through the underbrush startled her from her thoughts, and she began analyzing the environment. 

“Who’s there?” The young princess called out nervously, bunching her left hand into a fist and reaching down to grab a small stick with the right. She held her makeshift weapon steady, poised to strike should an enemy reveal itself. The rustling had ceased, and Zelda realized all too late that she probably should have just stayed silent. Her mind began to flood with the worst possible scenarios and when the rustling began again, she had already fully accepted her imminent demise. At least she has an unborn sibling, so Hyrule will still have an heir. 

Luckily, instead of a rogue bokoblin or a particularly disgruntled octorok, a small fuzzy animal peeked their head out from inside one of the bushes in front of her. It startled her, sure, but Zelda had enough time to process what it was, and she definitely wasn’t going to attack a little puppy. It was a far better outcome than the princesses dead body being found in the forest, mangled by some unknown assailant. A dog was something she could handle if it tried to attack, but it didn’t seem on the offense. Taking her chances, Zelda knelt down slowly and made a show of setting the stick in her hand down, holding her now open and empty palms up and hoping the little dog understood it was a display of peace. 

Sharp blue eyes followed the motion, and Zelda got the feeling he knew the significance of her action. She stayed crouched, putting one hand on her knee and holding the one that had previously wielded the stick out in front of her for them to approach if it desired. The puppy blinked at it before looking up to study her face— it’s eyes were strikingly clear and bluer than anything she had ever seen. Zelda then realized she hadn’t introduced herself, and immediately sought to change that. Smiling slightly, she murmured, “Hello, my name is Zelda. I’m a princess, but you don’t need to worry. You don’t need to treat me any different, though I doubt you see much significance in such a title… oftentimes I don’t either, but just know that if you murder me there will probably be some outrage.” 

The small dog titled it’s head a bit and she continued, “Ah, I won’t hurt you! I’m here for personal reasons, not to hunt. You’re very pretty and look quite soft. Would you like to come sit with me?” 

She was quite surprised to see the puppy nod, stepping through the bush and tentatively making its way towards her. It was much bigger than she had anticipated. If it stretched out, it was likely just about taller than her… maybe a wolf pup? She had only just begun studying the anatomy of the creatures, but the canine in front of her seemed to resemble the image of the young of a wolf over that of a simple hylian retriever. It sat in front of her and looked at her with those brilliant blue eyes that glittered with intelligence. She admired them for a moment, making a mental note to learn better descriptions for specific types of blue, before breaking eye contact to analyze the rest of its body. 

It was no wonder she had assumed it to be a dog at first— the little wolf pup had an incredibly strange pelt for their species. They had an off white underbelly and similarly colored socks to match, while the rest of the fur was a dirty blonde speckled with darker freckles that were the color of deep honey, concentrated on both its face and shoulders. It reminded Zelda a bit of her mother’s horse, Cloud, a flea-bitten grey mare. She added a reminder to research unusual wolf pelts to her mental notes, starting a list. 

“This one seems young but is very large… a female perhaps?” she mumbled, more talking to herself than anything and not really expecting a response to her question. She was often called weird for the habit, but it helped the princess keep her thoughts in order. In a breathtaking display of comprehension, the wolf shook its head in response to her quiet inquiry. _No._

“So you’re a male…” Zelda concluded thoughtfully. The pup nodded because he really was incredibly bright. It was almost like having a quiet human companion, and the young princess reveled in the feeling. Her status made it so rather than making her own friends, they were chosen for her, and only consisted of the children of nobles and high ranking officials— many of whom were already being groomed to one day court the little girl. None of them particularly liked her as a person and only played nice out of responsibility. As a result, she really didn’t have any friends. Maybe now… 

“Will you be my friend?” she asked the wolf, and he nodded more eagerly than before. The action made Zelda smile, and before she could stop herself she asked him, “May I pet you?”  
Rather than take offense to the request as she had feared he would, the pup stepped forward and placed his head into her still outstretched palm. He was even softer than she imagined, and Zelda sucked in a breath at the downy texture that met her skin. She brought her hand up from his jaw to the fur of his cheek, scratching lightly and smiling as he leaned into her touch. 

Suddenly, the pup stiffened, and Zelda moved to pull her hand away. Instead of turning tail and bolting back into the forest like she had anticipated, he nudged her to her feet and lightly grabbed her sleeve in his jaws and tugged, leading her up and away. The pleading look in his sky blue eyes betrayed sincerity, and the princess couldn’t help but resign herself to the knowledge that she would trust this little animal with her life. She nodded and he let go of her blouse, bounding between two tall bushes and over a large fallen tree before pausing to make sure his new friend was following. She was, obviously, and when he confirmed that for himself he continued leading her away from their previous location. Seconds later, a voice called out from where they had been, “Your highness? Are you back here?” 

It was one of her newer maids, Daisy. She was 18 years old and taught Zelda what a swear word was last month, though the younger girl promptly forgot the word itself and remembered only the concept. The thrill of a near-capture sent another rush of adrenaline through her veins, and Zelda followed the wolf for a significant amount of time. She kept pace with him all the way through a crack in a few large rocks that opened up into a small grassy clearing full of wildflowers and warmed by the slowly setting afternoon sun. The soft buzz of restless grasshoppers made the whole place feel more alive, and Zelda made an effort not to trample too many of the blossoms as she ran. 

The pup then suddenly skidded to a stop, planting his forepaws out in front of himself so he did a bit of a somersault before rolling out on the grass, but the whole thing was so quick that Zelda had no time to stop herself— the forward momentum of the previous moments dash carried her over her new friend and she tripped, falling face-first into the ground with arms outstretched. The wolf yelped and scrambled up so that when she rolled over, Zelda was met with his worried expression mere inches away from her own dirt stained one. She couldn’t help but giggle at the sight, and her chest filled with fondness when she processed his whine to be one of guilt. In response, the princess raised both her hands to his cheeks and breathed out, “that was quite silly of me. I’m alright though, thank you for your concern.” 

Her lupine friend’s reply came in a soft head butt, his plush forehead lowering to meet hers. It was an incredibly human display of affection, and Zelda was simply enamored by the kind little animal. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him the rest of the way down onto her, pressing her cheek against his. The pup started a bit before he sighed heavily and settled closer, seeming more than content with the new arrangement. Zelda loved the feeling of his warm belly on hers as the sun began to set, and she wondered absentmindedly if the little wolf stored some of the afternoon sunshine in his similarly colored pelt. He smelled of faint grass and flowers and daylight and was softer than anything she’d ever felt before in her life. 

Time always seems to go quicker when one is in pleasant company. Taking a breath, Zelda sighed, “you know… I think maybe in another lifetime we could have been born as wolves together,” and the scratchiness of her unused voice told her it had most likely been at least an hour since they laid down. Neither of them had moved, and Zelda wasn’t even really sure if the wolf was awake. He gave a flick of his ear to let her know that he was in fact, not sleeping, and was paying attention to what she had to say. She thought it was a sweet gesture. 

It was getting late, but she was incredibly comfortable and still not quite ready to face her family again. She didn’t know what she would say and hadn’t even really processed her own feelings. In an effort to do so, she explained to the wolf, “you remember when I told you I was out here for personal reasons?” He nodded. “Well see it’s because my mother, the queen… she’s expecting another child. Nobody bothered to tell me and that’s why I ran from the castle.” He whined in sympathy and she continued, “I know it’s a kid thing to do, but it hurt when it seemed as though everybody knew about it but me. She’s been pregnant for months and never said anything until today, and that’s only when I had asked and it would make her guilty of actually lying if she had told me anything other than the truth.” 

He nodded again and she murmured, “thank you for listening puppy… I wish I could just stay with you all evening. You’re very warm and smell a whole lot nicer than half the castle workers.” The wolf huffed a couple of times, almost like a laugh. It made Zelda giggle as well and she sighed, “maybe I don't need to be a wolf and I should just live here with you now anyways. I would never need to become queen or marry any stupid nobleman just because mama and papa tell me to. I think if you were a human boy you’d be very pretty. It would be nice if I could just turn you juman and marry you instead, puppy, you’re very kind.” 

The wolf propped himself up onto his front paws and leaned over, licking the princess on the bridge of her nose, causing her to squeal and wipe her sleeve over her face. He licked her again and again in response, only stepping up and off the girl once she began squirming underneath him. He sat down as she got up, wrapping her arms around his neck ducking her face into the fur and shaking her head back and forth to dry off the spit. She wasn’t actually too bothered, as his tongue was soft and he really didn’t have very nasty smelling breath. It was more just for theatrics, and Zelda knew that somehow he’s aware of it being only teasing as well. 

The colors of sunset brought a strange feeling of melancholy to the duo as they both knew their time together will inevitably end with the day. She frowned, releasing the pup and looking up towards the sky and the slowly climbing moon. The wolf followed her gaze and whined. Zelda didn’t like how sad he sounded and laid back down onto a fresh patch of grass, as their previous spot had long since been flattened from being rolled around and sat on and slept on all afternoon. She held his staff and patted the spot beside her, and the pup took the hint. He pressed himself up against the princess and she fought off the instinct to wrap her arms around the wolf and snuggle closer. In an effort to quell that urge just a bit, she folded her arm around the top of his head and curled her fingers into the fur on the side of his scruff. 

With her free hand, Zelda pointed to the sky. “If you look closely, you can see the three giants.” The wolf rolled over onto his back so his belly faced upwards and his eyes were looking up at the sky. She saw him trying to follow where her finger was directing and asked, “do you know the story about the three giants?” He shook his head no. She quickly glanced at him out of her peripherals and hesitantly asked, “...would you like to hear it?” 

He nods and Zelda was elated. All the children she’s forced to play with hate her strange anecdotes about the stars and the plants and the differences between a buck and a doe. She grinned, shifting a bit closer to the pup’s warm body and keeping her eyes fixated on the three constellations. “A long time ago, when hylians all lived on a land in the sky, there were three great dragons who inhabited the surface and aided the very first incarnation of the Hero on his quest to aid the mortal form of Hylia.” The wolf’s ears perked up at the mention of the Hero and Zelda smiled.

“When the dragons were ready to pass on, Hylia gave them a promise of a second life, as they had assisted her chosen Hero in giving her mortal blood a second life of her own.” The pup tilted his head and she told him, “It’s a long story, but the Hero and the not goddess version Hylia were in love.” He nodded softly at that and looked almost a bit embarrassed, if canine faces could betray such an emotion. Zelda gestured with her hand, “Anyways—they say that she froze their spirits as stars in the night sky, and their brilliance and purity made them glow brighter than all the rest. When the time is right and they are needed once again to aid the Hero in one of his future lifetimes, they will return to Hyrule as beings even greater and more powerful than they were before. Only those blessed by the goddess herself will see them, then.” 

She took a deep breath, as telling the story had taken longer than anticipated and thoroughly deprived her lungs of oxygen. Zelda knows that before she can become queen she must first learn how to tell a story _without_ asphyxiating— or at least, that’s what papa said. As her words settled, the little meadow was full of the faint buzzing of cicadas and steady breathing of the wolf beside her as well as her own, though it was noticeably more rapid than the canine. He seemed to be pondering her words, and Zelda in turn took the opportunity to ponder him. When she had run from the castle into the forest, the princess had never thought she would be met with anything but her own tears. Instead, she found a little wolf with eyes like the sky and a pelt like the sun, who listened to her stories and rolled with her in the grass. 

The stars had long since shown themselves in the total absence of the sun, and the wolf wiggled around until he could push himself upright. Zelda grumbled at the loss of warmth, but her attention was soon diverted to the way her friend was staring at the moon. He was fixated on the celestial object and looked practically ethereal, the softness of his younger features and fluffy quality of his pelt making him seem less noble than a grown wolf, and more like a kind spirit. She remembered how her book on wolves had a passage on how their keen hearing could detect the soft melody the moon emanated as it watched over the land. Their howls are all attempts to mimic the tune, and if anyone cared to listen they would hear the song. She sat up beside her companion and watched him as he watched the sky. Quietly, far more timid than she had anticipated, Zelda asked him, 

“Puppy?” 

He tore his eyes from the moon and turned that intense stare onto her instead. 

“Will you sing me a song of the moon?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments are appreciated! I only have this story vaguely outlined so if there’s any scenarios you’d like to see just let me know! I also want to address the fact that Zelda didn’t even think to question if this random intelligent wolf is a werewolf— as booksmart as that kid is, she’s still 4 years old and has the attention span and poor short term memory to match. I’m sure she’ll process it eventually, just let her sleep on it a few times ;)


	3. a coming storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link immediately finds his way back to the princess— or the other way around. Unfortunately, she brings some less than welcomed news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whew!! i love zelda and her fluffy little puppy friend. he’s not actually that little, though. have you seen how big young wolves are?? holy COW

“You’re insane,” Links father told him softly as he wiggled through the distorted window bars and landed on the bed below.

He knew the man was referring to how he had decided, for some unknown reason, that befriending the _literal_ princess of hyrule in his wolf form was in any way a good or rational idea. In his defense, nothing had gone wrong. There was a bit of a panic in the castle, as she had been absent for longer than normal, but Links father had been the one to discover the two children when a few guards had been sent out to search for the girl. Zelda was sleeping and Link was awake, curled protectively around his friend and remaining on high alert for any potential threat to the princess.

He didn’t know why, but something about her just set his instincts on fire. His father warned him not to bond with anyone, as werewolves will remain fiercely loyal to a single person if such a thing would happen, but after the events of last night they both knew it had been done. The unspoken understanding hadn’t led to any sort of conflict, but the pup did feel a bit uncomfortable with the knowledge that his father was privy to his friendship with the princess Zelda.

He ducked his head in acknowledgement to the mans words, though Link thought it was a bit harsh of him to call his own son _insane._ Then again, it was his father and not Link who both needed to deliver the princess back to her parents as well as now, monitor her almost constantly during the daylight hours. His father clicked his tongue and sighed, “that girl is impossible. She’s 4 years old and can already speak better than half the adults I talk to. Problem is she only uses that tongue to argue with me and the other guards.”

Link wagged his tail in pride, because he thought Zelda was really smart too! It was nice to hear his father recognize that about her as well. He wondered if he would see her again, and the man spoke again, “as soon as you’re up to it, I think it’s about time you meet her— as a person, I mean— the king and I talked about it today and we both agree that it’s the sooner the better with this kind of thing.” The pup chose to ignore how his father still often danced around the subject of his status of the chosen Hero, a fact made evident by the way his paw still held the freckled brand of the triforce the way his human hand did. He wanted to focus on the more pressing matter— his fated meeting the princess of hyrule.

Meet Zelda as a human… Link let out a canine whine as he fretted over whether or not the young princess would like him when he’s no longer soft and huggable. Would she hate him for lying about being just a wolf? Would she banish him and his father forever? He knew she resented the children of nobility she was forced to play with, would she see Link as simply another enemy?

Every single worst possible scenario flew through his mind at hyper speed, only halted by his father placing a hand on his head with a heavy sigh, “you need to calm down. The princess is a clever girl and talks more than enough for the both of you. I’m just hoping she won’t be too mean— she looks at the other children like she’s about to call for their execution.”

Link stiffened as the thought of being treated the same way as those brats, but knew his friend was likely more than justified—the children probably slighted her first, somehow. But he wouldn’t do that. He would protect her and stay by her side in whatever form he took. The moon would grow and shrink for another 20 or so days before he’ll get the chance to meet her as a hylian, but the pup thought it was nice to have something to look forward to. He watched his father pull off some of the outer layers of his uniform and tilted his head at the man; once his attention was captured, Link gestured his head towards the window in silent questioning. _Can I go?_

He caught on quickly and shrugged, telling the wolf nonchalantly, “sure, just don’t get caught. Your girlfriend might be there if you’re lucky.” Link yelped and flattened his ears, tail swishing in defiance. _She’s not my girlfriend!_

The man laughed at this and simply gestured flippantly at the window, “just go, kid.” With one more low growl— just for good measure— Link was on his way, launching himself into the bed and using the momentum to propel his body through the bars without missing a beat.

Weaving his way out past castletown, he felt the cobbled paving give way to gravel and then dirt; it was a welcome change from the solid stone he's been spending most of his time on. The sun was already just dipping below the horizon, cocooning the forest in a lingering warmth as if it was sad to be saying goodbye until morning. Link lifted his muzzle to take in a deep breath of fresh air that was so wildly different from the stuffy atmosphere found in the guards barracks that he could hardly believe it was made of the same... stuff.

With the scent of soft leaf mold and underbrush came the faint mustiness of approaching rain; it was a familiar smell from his days back in Hateno as a child, though it was far more amplified now that he had canine senses. He inhaled one more time, as if by doing so he could save it forever.

Link wasn’t ashamed to admit he lost himself in the feeling of memories long passed, but he nearly jumped out of his fur when a posh little voice sounded out from behind him, “...hello? Are you the same puppy from yesterday?”

The yelp that sounded out startled her nearly as much as she did him; the owner of said voice— none other than Zelda— stared at the wolf before her for a second, meadow green eyes searching his sharp blue ones.

The young princess then began to giggle, nodding her head and affirming, “yep! You’re my boy!” Remembering his previous conversation with his father, Link considered her choice words carefully— he then smiled and let his tongue loll out the side of his mouth. _It’s not like Zelda knows I’m an actual boy,_ he reasoned with himself. Plus, the girl looked utterly delighted at his expression, and Link thought that her smile could rival the light of the sun. It was the kind of smile he didn’t want to stop seeing, and the kind he’d be more than happy to keep protecting. He wasn’t in the least bit bothered at the thought of being her boy. The pup then wagged his tail, tilting his head to the right so the princess suddenly looked to him like she was on a steep hill. _What are you doing back out in the forest?_

As if she could hear his thoughts, Zelda sighed heavily and answered, “I know coming here again was foolish of me, but I really don’t want to be at home right now…” Link flattened his ears and took the few steps towards her that closed the distance between them. He whined sympathetically and bumped his head against her chest, and she giggled again softly.

“You’re too sweet, puppy. I’m not sure if you’d like to find that meadow again at the moment, but would you mind if I talk?” In an effort to communicate he’d love to listen to her again, the wolf turned tail and plopped himself down at the base of a nearby fallen log. Zelda smiled at his expectant gaze, moving over to seat herself next to him. Link thought it was funny how she had to pull at the bottom of her little tunic so it would stay flat when she sat down on it, and how the restless way she fiddled with her tiny hands betrayed her young age.

 _She looks really nervous,_ he thought as he leaned forward to rest his head in her lap; the princess seemed to relax a bit at the contact, and the way she immediately began stroking his head made Link involuntary start wagging his tail. Zelda chewed at her bottom lip and told him, “mama isn’t saying much, but I think the baby she’s carrying is sick. The maids are all very worried, and rumors that the child may be born early are circulating.” Her mindless strokes began incorporating her short fingernails as she dragged them over his scalp in a way that gave Link a little shiver. The girl looked down at him in question, but his only response was to blink slowly. _Tell me more._

Once again, Zelda displayed an eerie understanding of his non-verbal cues. “So because of everything, I’m going to be confined to the castle starting tomorrow to prevent exposure to any and all pathogens that may be harmful to mama and the baby… I understand but—“ she let her head hang and in a soft voice muttered, “it’s just going to be lonely. More than before, I mean. Only a few guards will be allowed around and are going to be stationed in closer proximity to mama in rooms inside the castle away from the other guards. There will be some kids, but it’s the ones that are jerks,” Zelda turned her head to fix her gaze on the wolf. “I wish I could just take you with me,” she lamented. Link whined in agreement. It made him sad, the way his friend sounded like she had already given up, like months in isolation weren’t the worst thing that has ever happened to her. She’s only 4 and Link doubts the girl has experienced much, but whatever happened that made her sadder than weeks upon weeks of loneliness should sleep with one eye open.

The overwhelming urge to comfort the princess made sparks dance through Link’s veins, even stronger than those from when he transformed under the light of the moon. He lifted his head from her lap and shifted himself to sit upright between her legs; he always knew that Zelda was small, but when they were arranged like this she seemed tiny. The pup sat up straight and was able to rest his head comfortably on her hunched shoulder, and the princess immediately wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in the soft fur. He could feel her breath heat a patch of his skin as she moved one of her hands up to scratch the back of his head, and Link decided he could get used to this.

They sat together for a long time, and like yesterday, neither of them were too aware of its passage. Zelda was a heavy comfort, warm and pressed flush against the front of the wolf in a way that felt like the sun itself was heating his upturned chest. The princess was gentle and smelled like a mix of fresh laundry and vanilla. Much like the smell before the rain, he found himself breathing her in deeply in an effort to save her scent forever. The thought of rain reminded Link of the approaching storm, and before he woke the girl against his neck he realized Zelda’s breathing had long since evened out— she fell asleep. Feeling a tight warmth in his chest, the wolf decided he couldn’t wake her up. He tugged slightly back to check and make sure her grip was tight, and was happy to find the assumption to be correct. Link then spun himself around in her arms, leaning forward to pull her against his back before dropping his entire front so she lay against him. He then lifted his haunches to push her higher up so the princess rested her head between his shoulders, and when he was sure the girl was steady, Link stood.

At first he walked painstakingly slow, taking care not to jostle the new weight on his back. Zelda was as light as a pillow, which did worry the pup a bit— she seemed _too_ light, almost underweight if he had to guess. He could worry about that later. It would be bad if they were caught in the rain, and Link didn’t have time to figure out how to find his father amongst all the other guards now that it was dinnertime and they were all no doubt gathered in the mess hall together. Tentatively, he picked up the pace, pleased to note the princess didn’t seem to either notice or care. Grass turned to gravel and gravel turned to stone, and the steady click of claws against the floor of the alley was slowly intermingled with the sound of a bustling castletown.

They had made it to the split in the backroads, and Link made a last second decision he hoped he wouldn’t regret; rather than the path down to the guards chambers, the wolf made his way down the far more unfamiliar roads leading to the main entrance of the castle itself. He had gone down this route once or twice with his father, but the walk still made him feel a bit nervous. _Just get Zelda to her family and leave._ Link repeated his goal over and over in his mind, taking comfort in a task to be completed. The princess shifted in her sleep, breathing a heavy sigh before nuzzling closer into the fur of his scruff. It was endearing as all hell, and the pup was so wrapped up in it that he didn’t even register the fact he had made his way into the castle.

Before he could orient himself, a lithe figure emerged from the shadows that cloaked the walls and rafters— she was clad in red and white, with big round glasses that made her seem younger than she probably was— and it took Link everything in him not to yelp in surprise. The woman giggled, whispering with glee, “well now, what do we have here?” The wolf’s ears perked up and angled towards her; he immediately recognized the voice to be that of Purah from the night before. _She knows about werewolves._

Eyeing the new arrival warily, Link tilted his head slightly in a way that gestured in the vague direction of his back— more specifically, the princess on it. Purah’s delight was palpable, and she told him, “I can help you take her to her room, if you’d like.” As a matter of fact, he would, as the heightened senses of a wolf did little to help navigate his way to an unknown destination.  
He nodded, and the woman wasted no time; she turned tail and immediately began walking in the direction she had presumably come from. Link followed her without hesitation, and carefully quickened his pace until he couldn’t go any faster without risk of waking Zelda or her potentially slipping off.

“You’re a werewolf, I presume?” Purah inquired, though it sounded more like a statement than an actual question. Her head was still facing forward, but Link nodded anyways.

Having caught the motion in her peripherals, she continued, “do you live in the castle? I haven’t seen any evidence of shifters until now, but you don’t seem full grown.” He nodded again, unsure of how much he should give away to the enthusiastic lady.

“Does the princess know?”

Link halted for a second, caught off guard by the question. A part of him felt guilty, but he chose to tell the truth; shaking his head no, the wolf let out an unintentional whine that made Purah burst into a fit of giggles. “You don’t have to feel so bad about it,” she reassured him, “and don’t worry about me ratting you out. The princess likes you for a reason, and I’m not about to let her throw another fit over some stray wolf like you.” A swish of his tail was all that she needed to know her quip had gotten to him. They rounded a corner and Purah opened a door for him, only to be met with a tall spiral staircase before saying, “I can take it from here, Wolfy.”

Reluctantly, Link padded forward so she could have easier access to the sleeping princess. He didn’t want to leave her just yet, but there was no way they’d make it up those stairs without incident. She reached over his head to scoop up the girl, and Link could hear her suppressing a giggle making a little groan of protest Zelda made as she was lifted away from his back. Purah did an odd gesture with her free hand and winked, telling the wolf, “I’ll see you around pup! Snippity snap!”

With that, she made her way up the stairs, and Link watched her figure recede into the candle-lit tower until even her shadow faded from sight. When the soft click of a door indicated to him that the princess and Purah had made their way up to where they were headed, he spun around and began retracing his steps to lead back to the castle entrance. As he followed the lingering muddled scents of himself and Zelda, Link worried about how the princess would fare without him to keep her company. The next half moon was weeks away, but the pup resolved to do all he could to see her once his hylian form was restored.

He hoped she would be able to hang on until then.


	4. freckles like stars

Zelda wakes to the familiar sound of knuckles on her door, signaling the beginning of another uneventful day. 

She stretches languidly and blinks the sleep out of her eyes, opening her mouth to answer whoever was knocking, though it was probably Daisy and she was probably going to come in with or without Zelda’s permission. When a yawn came instead of an answer, her assumption was proven to be correct. 

“Alrighty, Princess, let’s get ya dressed,” Daisy announces, barging into the room with far too much energy for Zelda to handle right after being roused from her slumber. The woman— well, older girl really,— was all orange curls and freckles and clipped, chipper words. She groans, covering her eyes with one raised arm and falling back into her pillows. Unperturbed, her horrible maid shakes the princess by her shoulder and clicks her tongue. 

“Aye, you’ve actually got a reason to be up today,” she reasons, though her tone makes it clear there’s really no room to argue. Instead, Zelda slides her arm down her face so it rests on her nose, making her voice sound muffled and nasally when she asks through narrow eyes, “what, am I going to be allowed a centimeter outside the castle today? I do hope so. Perhaps I will even bear witness to a single blade of grass.” 

“When I was a girl your age, I would’ve killed to have your vocabulary,” Daisy laments with little weight, rolling her neck and leaning forward to help the girl in front of her out of her pajamas. “Do ya gotta use it for sarcasm?” 

“Yes Daisy, how else do you expect me to communicate my distaste for the situation I'm in— unwillingly, might I add,” Zelda huffs, raising her arms so that the older girl can pull off her sleep shirt and slip on a white blouse in its place. “Would you prefer I act my age and cry?” 

“I swear to the goddesses, child, if you start cryin’—“ she starts, and the princess bites her lip to stifle a little giggle. The combination of her maid’s country drawl and blatant exasperation was enough to lighten her mood, and by the time Daisy slips her into a blue short-sleeved dress over the blouse and lets her put on her own leggings, Zelda is unable to hide her smile. 

“That’s the opposite of tears, your highness,” Daisy points out smiling, pulling out a comb from somewhere in one of her pockets and shuffling behind the princess to begin the process of taming her wild bedhead. Zelda shivers when the metal teeth meet her scalp, and earns a giggle in response. 

“You act something like my kitten, Cinnamon,” her maid explains, holding on tight to the base of where her hair meets her scalp to avoid any discomfort that could be caused by any snagging as she works the knots out from Zelda’s hair. Daisy was good like that. Good enough that maybe, she can be trusted with a little secret. Nobody knows about her secret friend but Purah, and that was by chance. It would be nice to talk to someone about it. 

“I wanted a kitten for a while, but now I think I want a wolf,” she replies carefully, testing the waters. She didn’t think Daisy would tell anyone, but it was just to be sure. 

“A wolf, huh? You don’t say.” 

“Yes! But not just any wolf.” 

This made the girl behind her pause her combing for a brief moment, and when she continued she asked, “any reason it’s gotta be a certain wolf?” 

“Well, that depends. Can you promise not to tell anybody?” Zelda spun around to watch her face as she asked the redhead behind her, and she could tell Daisy was telling the truth when she nodded and held out her pinky solemnly. The princess shifted so she could reach out and interlock the offered appendage with her own. With that out of the way, she turned back around so Daisy could keep working on her hair. 

“I met a wolf pup when I first ran into the forest. The day mama told me she was carrying another child…” she trailed off and gestured with her hands a bit, taking care not to make it harder for her hair to be combed through, “he was gorgeous, gold and white with freckles and eyes so blue they looked like sapphires. I had to search through the thesaurus for hours just to find a few words that accurately describe how striking they were.” 

Daisy hummed, letting Zelda know she was still listening, so she continued, “he was so kind, Daisy. I saw him once after that and every time I spoke it was like he understood the words I was saying, and he took me to a meadow and we looked at the stars, and somehow he got me home to Purah and I woke up in my own bed. I miss him so much,” she sighed. The girl behind her hummed again, pulling the comb away and fluffing Zelda’s now smooth locks to both give them volume and to signify completion. Before she could be interrupted, the maid spoke up. 

“That is some wolf, princess. If I wasn’t told he was an animal, I’d think you’ve got yourself talkin’ about that boy you’re set to meet.” 

Zelda whipped around impulsively, immediately grateful the comb was far enough away by the time she did so that the motion didn’t gouge her eye out. 

“ _DAISY! You did_ not _tell me I was to meet anyone today!”_

The aforementioned maid chuckled, holding up her hands in attempts to calm the princess, “I was gonna, but you went and distracted me, your highness!” she stood Zelda up and tied a belt around her waist, patting the little girls sides with satisfaction once the deed was done. Olive eyes met meadow green ones and Daisy smiled reassuringly, “I wouldn’t worry, princess. He’s the lad of the guard who’s watchin’ her majesty the queen— doesn’t talk much, but he’s a cutie pie.” 

Zelda frowned thoughtfully, as meeting a boy her age who wasn’t direct nobility was such a rare occurrence she could count all the times it happened on one hand— zero. Well, unless a wolf pup counts, but she hadn’t properly determined his age and he wasn’t introduced to her in the traditional sense… 

“So… I’m meeting this boy because his father is guarding mama?” She had met the man several times, as before he was stationed with her mother he was tasked with keeping watch on the princess herself. At least, until she was under constant supervision by literally _everyone in the goddesses darn castle._

“Well, yes and no,” Daisy held up a hand and wobbled it from side to side. Zelda angled her head to the side slightly, prompting her to continue. 

“He’s also suppose’ to be the hero of legend, you know? The triforce of courage and whatnot.” 

Zelda felt her stomach drop to her feet, immediately overcome by a wave of anxiety. She looked at her maid with panicked eyes and asked, “are you sure?” 

Seeing the princess’s nervous frown, Daisy quickly added, “I’m sure, child, but I wouldn’t be fretting if I were you. That kiddo was practically trembling at the mention of meetin’ you.” 

He was trembling? Was he scared? Zelda wondered if the other children already told stories of her temper and convinced the boy he would be attacked on sight— oh _hylia_ if they did, the princess vowed nobody in the kingdom would be able to find their bodies—

“Princess,” she was suddenly aware of Daisy calling her from where she held open the door. “Get your shoes on, you can worry yourself silly about the boy after you’ve met him.” 

She followed the maid blindly, more focused on steeling her nerves for the approaching meeting. Will he hate her? Will she hate him? Has he unlocked any powers of his own? These thoughts flew around her head with such fury she didn’t register the fact they had made it to the meal room until Daisy gave her a pat on the shoulder and whispered, “good luck, princess,” before she bowed and left back down the way they likely came. 

Zelda looked up to see her Papa sitting at his spot at the end of the table, diagonal to the knight who guards her Mama. They were speaking to one another, though she couldn’t quite make out what the two men were saying. Her eyes traveled to the left of the uniformed guard and fell on a boy with golden blonde hair and a mess of freckles. He sat quietly, and the princess thought he was at most 3 years older than herself. 

“Ah, Zelda. Come here sweetheart, I want you to meet someone,” her Papa called when he saw her in the doorway. The knight and boy followed his gaze and when Zelda looked at the latter, she was in awe with just how _blue_ his eyes seemed to be. She trotted over, taking a seat across from the little boy. Her mama’s chair was empty, but that was nothing new. 

“Gentlemen, I'm sure you’re familiar with princess Zelda,” he introduces, and the knight nodded with a smile. His son followed suit, though his eyes never left her face. Maybe he really does hate her. 

“Good morning, your highness,” greeted the guard, “this is my son, Link.” 

_Link_. The name sounded familiar in a way she couldn’t explain, as if it were the answer to a question she had never been asking. Zelda offers a smile and tells him, “Hello, Link. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” 

He blinks and smiles slightly back, sky blue eyes glittering with an emotion she can’t quite discern, “you too, princess.”

Zelda hears his voice, soft and scratchy and young. It was calming, like the sound of rain falling against the cobblestone of her windowsill. It was like a song, and she decided that it was her favorite voice in the whole of hyrule and beyond. She smiles wider and tells him, “you have gorgeous eyes,” because he does, and she wants him to know it. The adults share a soft chuckle, and the man says something along the lines of _“...never spoken to anyone so easily before…”_

Link straightens up at the compliment and flushes pink, smiling a bit as the color reaches the very tips of his ears. “T-thank you…” he stutters, and Zelda knows he’s not another one of those noble brats who could fall in a ditch for all she cared. 

“Link, show her your mark,” prompts the knight, and the boy shuffles nervously. After a moment, he raises up his left hand and Zelda can see the outline of the triforce carved out from gaps in the freckles that trailed down his arm. One of the triangles is pale, like a birthmark, and it reminds her of her own. 

She thinks the freckles that dust his skin look nice, but that might be a _bit_ much to tell him. Zelda holds out her right hand next to his extended one and smiles, because he’s already much tanner than herself. It’s a nice contrast, and it makes his mark much more visible. Hers is faded, pale and barely there. He still looks so nervous, so Zelda bumps the side of his fisted hand with her own and he jumps a bit, head jerking up. 

Giving her best reassuring smile, she abandons her previous doubt and tells the boy, “I like yours a whole lot better. Freckles remind me of the stars.” 

Zelda’s not sure what was so funny about what she said, or what was so embarrassing, but the quiet chuckles of the adults and the way Link turned red all the way up to the tip of his ears told her there was definitely _something._ All she had done was tell him the truth, but no use in dwelling on it now. Breakfast was served and smelled far too good to allow for any worries to consume her thoughts for the time being. 

Link scarfed his food like an animal, and it was enough to remind her of the very animal she had left behind. She wondered how her wolf friend was doing, and if he’s gotten any bigger. When she’s finally free from this prison, will he even remember her? The thought of the possibility that he might not made her stomach churn unpleasantly, and she suddenly lost her appetite. 

“I’m going to take a brief walk,” she says after reaching across the table to softly pat the arm of her papa, and he nodded a bit before continuing whatever conversation he was having with Links father before her interruption. The garden was just out the door from the dining hall, but the arrangement of the foliage made it seem both bigger and smaller at the same time. She made her way to the meadow at the end of it and sat down with a sigh, feeling around for any flowers in her immediate vicinity. When she found her victims, Zelda tugged them up from the ground and quickly set to work weaving a flower crown so her hands could do something while her brain went absolutely crazy. 

It wasn’t like she’s never had to say goodbye to anyone before, she said it even to mama, as her final visit came to an end, her access to the room —and subsequently the woman inside— along with it. But somehow, it was different; it wasn’t as if mama could just forget her. No, but how long does a wolf’s memory last? He clearly recognized her after a day, but what about after several months? Will she recognize him? Will he be angry with her for leaving him? 

Footsteps approached cautiously, but Zelda heard nothing as her thoughts spiraled away, weaving twisted tapestries depicting the worst possible scenarios her future might hold; only when a soft hand rested on her shoulder was the princess pulled from her little bubble of panic, and she noticed the boy with eyes like a clear sky looking at her with what seemed like mild concern. It bothered her, for some reason, seeing him in any sort of distress— so she did the first thing that came to mind. 

Link seemed surprised at the initial movement, but settled quickly, letting Zelda place the crown woven out of flowers atop his head and adjust it to sit neatly in place. It made her happy, how easy he seemed to be around her, despite their dramatically different social standings. It reminded her of how it felt to be with the wolf, where it wasn’t a princess and a beast. It was simply a couple friends. 

Moving back to admire her work, Zelda was struck with how pretty the boy looked. The flowers were a mix of navy’s and purples and whites, and somehow made his eyes look even more blue than before. His golden hair framed his face and he looked at her with kindness in his eyes, the expression filled her mind with thoughts of her canine friend. 

“You remind me of someone,” she tells him quietly, not really expecting a response. 

“Oh yeah?” 

He spoke just as soft, and she couldn’t help but feel secure. It was like when mama told her stories at night or when she listened to the wolf sing to the moon and the stars. 

“Yeah,” was all she could reply. 

“You’re a lot nicer than the other kids said,” he told her after a momentary pause. His accent was similar to Daisy, more subtle, but still clippy and pleasant to hear. It was bright, and she laughed at his statement. 

“Those fools are incredibly biased sources, I’m afraid. They would sooner play tag with a Lizalfos than with me.” 

Link looked affronted by that fact, and her smile didn’t really fade like it usually would have after such a laugh. 

“I’m not too surprised they told you unkind things about me,” she lamented, but in the company of the boy, it no longer held the weight it used to. 

“I can beat them up for you,” he offered, dead serious. What a good knight he’ll make someday. 

“I appreciate the offer, but I don’t want to put you at risk of being punished. It would be harsh, since they’re all a bunch of noble snobs.” 

His bangs fall forward as he adjusts to sit cross-legged, and they cover his eyes in a way that made them look like they had streaks of gold. Zelda leans towards him a bit to brush them back out of his face, telling him, “your eyes are as pretty as the friend you remind me of.” 

“Yeah? Who’s the friend?” he asks, sounding almost hesitant. Oh well. No harm in telling him the truth, she decided— Zelda also decided that he will forever be able to get the truth out of her if he so much as asked. 

She sighs wistfully, “He’s not a person, actually. He’s a wolf. I don’t know his name, but he was the prettiest thing i’ve ever seen.” 

After describing the wolf in detail to her new other friend, Zelda realizes how flushed the boy had gotten. He opens his mouth, as if to say something, but just then a voice calls out from beyond the garden.

“Link, we’re heading up to the Queen’s chambers. Say bye to the princess.” 

She takes his hand and gets up, turning to look at him in question. What was he going to tell her? He ducks his head sheepishly and Zelda decides not to press it, instead leading him back to the source of the voice. Link’s father greets her with a small bow and tells her, “I’ll keep a good watch over your mother, your highness.”

She smiles at him and his son in thanks. The boy with eyes like a wolf and freckles like the stars gives her a smile of his own, and it feels like the world falls into place around her. Somehow, things felt a little less lonely now. 

“Will I see you again soon?” she asks him hopefully, and he nods. 

“As soon as possible, your highness,” he reassured her. 

“I’ll hold you to that.” 

Zelda watched him follow his father out the door and wondered if he noticed the flower crown still on his head. As he was about to turn the corner, the boy turned around and gave her the biggest smile she’d seen from him all day, and all she could do was hope he could see hers too. 


End file.
